The huge haul is also a marked increase from the $80 million in sales recorded in February, and is more than the previous record of $88 million in sales reported in January.

Analyst Bryce Hill notes that small businesses are the main job providers in the state, and talk of tax hikes for businesses in Springfield would be a mistake.

Biden is not alone is targeting job creators: Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has repeatedly floated schemes to extract more taxes out of Illinois’ businesses as they struggle to recover from his COVID-19 restrictions that shuttered 35% of Illinois’ small businesses during 2020.

A COVID-19 bill Congress passed last year sent $834.7 million in federal taxpayer-funded financial assistance for Illinois renters and landlords.

“2021 seems like it’s going to be a very strong year,” said Illinois Film Office Director Peter Hawley. The state is estimating production spending, including cast and crew wages, was nearly $362 million in 2020, down 35% from the $560 million spent in 2019.

A bipartisan ‘spending cap’ bill would allow predictable, sustainable growth in state spending without tax hikes. Illinois is one of the few states without a similar fiscal restraint.

DCFS is one of the few that will see a budget boost — over $100 million. But the department is also anticipating an increase in workload.

“It certainly gives districts like ours a great shot in the arm to address the learning needs of kids, like expanding our summer programs and adding additional staff,” said Barry Reilly, superintendent for Bloomington District 87 Schools.

Comment: A truly splendid op-ed that perhaps we can all agree with.

Immigration activists are objecting to renaming a Chicago school after Barack Obama.

Nuclear power advocates say decommissioning Byron and Dresden will not only derail Illinois’ plan to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, but will also put thousands of Illinoisans out of work and will reduce the amount of tax dollars going to local communities and school districts.

Lincoln College President David Gerlach acknowledges Lincoln’s complicated history with African Americans and Native Americans. Still, he said, the bad doesn’t outweigh the good. “I think Lincoln would have admitted that he was somebody that learned over time. He left a legacy that was profound, but not without controversy.”

Here’s a look, based on records from government retirement funds, at the pension status of a dozen retired and current officials who have been caught up in the federal investigations involving City Hall, Cook County and the state of Illinois.

Jim Dey: “News reports of the Sims incident noted that (state Sen. Elgie) Sims approves leniency when others are victimized but embraces a much tougher policy when he’s aggrieved. Sims countered that claim by arguing that Hoyle would have remained in custody under his new ‘no bond’ plan, that his ‘no bond’ plan is tougher than current law.”